“Of course there is! If the lady wishes to know where the most beautiful scenery is in the Ten Thousand Beasts Palace or where the most fun spots are, you’ve come to the right person by asking me.”
At first, Xiao Ling felt a bit uneasy when Yun Qingxue looked at her, but as soon as she heard Yun Qingxue’s question, she immediately perked up.
“When it comes to the most fun places in our Ten Thousand Beasts Palace, there are three. The first and most scenic is undoubtedly the Spark Garden. However, it’s best visited at night. While the daytime scenery is lovely, it absolutely cannot compare to the dreamlike beauty of the evening.”
“How beautiful is it at night?” Yun Qingxue pretended to be very interested. Xiao Ling seemed much more outgoing and straightforward than Xiao Yao, so she might be able to gather more information about the Ten Thousand Beasts Palace from her.
Yun Qingxue’s timely and engaging questions further energized Xiao Ling, whose expression relaxed even more as she spoke, now seemingly eager to share everything she knew.
“As the name suggests, the Spark Garden is naturally the best place to admire the starry sky. Of course, if it were only good for stargazing, it wouldn’t be anything special. The reason it’s called the Spark Garden has another meaning…”
At this point, Xiao Ling deliberately paused and looked at Yun Qingxue.
“What’s the special reason?” Yun Qingxue quickly played along, her face feigning intense curiosity about the Spark Garden.
Seeing Xiao Ling now acting like a storyteller, deliberately building suspense, Yun Qingxue’s follow-up question made her grin and continue, “In the name ‘Spark Garden,’ the ‘spark’ naturally refers to the stars in the sky. But the garden is also home to some newly transformed ape clansmen, so the word ‘spark’ also carries a homophonic meaning—’ape.’ As for the ‘fire’ in ‘Spark Garden,’ it represents another key feature of the garden…”
Here, Xiao Ling paused again for effect.
Yun Qingxue genuinely felt this girl was wasted not becoming a storyteller—she loved dragging out the suspense!
“Is the ‘fire’ referring to bonfires at night?” To indulge Xiao Ling’s storytelling and lay the groundwork for future information-gathering, Yun Qingxue not only showed heightened curiosity but also threw out a wild guess to lighten the mood.
“Of course not.” Xiao Ling chuckled and continued, “The ‘fire’ in Spark Garden doesn’t refer to bonfires or any kind of flame. It actually refers to a type of creature…”
She trailed off again.
This time, Yun Qingxue didn’t immediately play along as before. She frowned slightly, her serene smile fading a bit. Was Xiao Ling doing this on purpose? Was she addicted to building suspense, or was she deliberately stalling for time?
“That creature is the firefly!”
Xiao Ling paused, realizing she might have dragged it out too much.
Especially since Yun Qingxue hadn’t immediately indulged her, her years of experience as a servant in the Ten Thousand Beasts Palace told her she might have annoyed her noble guest by overdoing the suspense.
Regretting her earlier smugness, she no longer dared to drag it out and spilled the rest smoothly, like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.
“At night, the starlight and the dancing fireflies reflect each other, filling the sky with dreamlike specks of light. The fireflies, along with the stars and moon, bathe the entire garden in a magical glow. The faint fragrance of flowers lingers in the air, making it utterly delightful and romantic!”
“Sounds like a wonderful place. Hearing this makes me eager to see it for myself,” Yun Qingxue replied with a touch of longing after Xiao Ling finished her enthusiastic description.
“Oh? What does the Flower Queen wish to see? Shall I accompany you?” The magnetic, slightly teasing voice of Cang Yan came from the doorway.
Yun Qingxue looked up to see Cang Yan standing there, dressed as usual in a dark brocade robe with subtle patterns, his long hair casually tied back with a ribbon, exuding a lazy yet roguish charm.
With a composed smile, Yun Qingxue replied, “The Beast King is the ruler of his people and must be busy with affairs of state. How could I dare impose on your time for my own whims?”
Cang Yan smirked, his deep blue eyes unfathomable as the ocean, his smile always carrying a hint of arrogant mischief.
“Qingxue, you’re being too formal! In the near future, you and I are to become husband and wife. No matter how busy I am, I’ll always have time to nurture our bond.”
Cang Yan had arrived alone—Xiao Yao wasn’t with him. She must have reported Yun Qingxue’s request to go out and then gone about other tasks to avoid returning with him.
After all, while everyone knew Xiao Yao and Xiao Ling were placed by Cang Yan to monitor Yun Qingxue, it wouldn’t do to flaunt it too openly.
But no matter how they dressed it up, surveillance was surveillance. Any attempts to conceal it were just futile.
This so-called betrothal, this so-called cooperation—it was all just a deceitful game!
Even without physical bars, Yun Qingxue was still a prisoner. The only difference was that her usefulness granted her more comfort than the average captive.
“Beast King, may we speak privately?” Yun Qingxue asked calmly, meeting Cang Yan’s gaze.
Cang Yan’s pupils contracted slightly, his smile widening. “Of course. A private conversation with Qingxue is something I’ve been longing for.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage